Scaevola plant named ‘Kingscawite’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Scaevola  plant named ‘Kingscawite’, characterized by its white-colored flowers, medium green-colored foliage, and vigorous, mounded-spreading growth habit, is disclosed.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Scaevola aemula.

Variety denomination: ‘Kingscawite’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Scaevola plant botanically known as Scaevola aemula and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Kingscawite’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in West Perth, Australia during March 2007. The objective of the breeding program was the development of freely flowering varieties having controlled vigor throughout production.

The new Scaevola cultivar is the result of cross-pollination. The female (seed) parent of the new cultivar is Diamond, ‘Wesscaedia’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,431, characterized by its white-colored flowers that are edged with violet blue, medium green-colored foliage, and vigorous, mounded-cascading growth habit. The male (pollen) parent of the new cultivar is the proprietary Scaevola aemula breeding selection coded 04/113A, not patented, characterized by its light blue-colored flowers, medium green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, mounded growth habit. The new cultivar was discovered and selected as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the above stated cross-pollination during August 2008 in a controlled environment in West Perth Australia.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings since August 2008 in West Perth, Australia, Arroyo Grande, Calif. and West Chicago, Ill. has demonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true to type with all of the characteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedly observed and can be used to distinguish ‘Kingscawite’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Scaevola plant:

-   -   1. White-colored flowers;     -   2. Medium green-colored foliage; and     -   3. Vigorous, mounded-spreading growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the male and female parents primarily in flower color.

Of the many commercially available Scaevola cultivars, the most similar in comparison to the new cultivar is Chrystal Improved ‘Wesscaecryimp’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,703. However, in side by side comparisons, plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of ‘Wesscaecryimp’ in at least the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar have more inflorescences per plant         than plants of ‘Wesscaecryimp’; and     -   2. Plants of the new cultivar have a flower color with more of a         purple overlay when grown under the same growing conditions than         plants of ‘Wesscaecryimp’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typical flower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in the photographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed description, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Kingscawite’. The plants were grown in 4-inch pots for 7 weeks in a greenhouse in West Chicago, Ill.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habit of ‘Kingscawite’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an individual flower of ‘Kingscawite’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature, light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, 2007 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significance are used. The color values were determined in April 2012 under natural light conditions in West Chicago, Ill.

The following descriptions and measurements describe plants produced from cuttings from stock plants and grown in a glass-covered greenhouse under conditions comparable to those used in commercial practice. The plants were grown in West Chicago, Ill. in 4-inch pots for 7 weeks utilizing a soilless growth medium. Greenhouse temperatures were maintained at approximately 70° F. to 77° F. (21° C. to 25° C.) during the day and approximately 65° F. to 68° F. (18° C. to 20° C.) during the night. Greenhouse light levels of 2,500 footcandles to 6,000 footcandles were maintained during the day. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical plants.

-   Botanical classification: Scaevola aemula cultivar Kingscawite. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Diamond, ‘Wesscaedia’, U.S. Plant Pat. No.             15,431.         -   Male parent.—Proprietary Scaevola aemula breeding selection             coded 04/113A, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal stem.         -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 10 to 14 days.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 24 to 28             days.         -   Root description.—Fibrous.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Commercial crop time.—Approximately 5 to 7 weeks from a             rooted cutting to finish in a 10 cm pot.         -   Growth habit and general appearance.—Vigorous,             mounded-spreading.         -   Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane:             Approximately 10.4 cm. Width: Approximately 42.4 cm.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching. Quantity of main branches             per plant: Approximately 7.         -   Branch.—Strength: Strong. Length: Approximately 24.3 cm.             Diameter: Approximately 3.0 mm. Length of central internode:             Approximately 2.5 cm. Texture: Pubescent. Color of young and             mature stems: 144A with an overlay of 187A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   General description.—Quantity of leaves per main branch:             Approximately 5. Fragrance: None. Form: Simple. Arrangement             on flowering stem: Alternate.         -   Leaves.—Aspect: At acute angle to stem with tip turning             downward. Shape: Spatulate. Margin: Serrate. Apex: Acute.             Base: Attenuate. Venation pattern: Pinnate, arcuate. Length             of mature leaf: Approximately 5.8 cm. Width of mature leaf:             Approximately 2.2 cm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces:             Pubescent. Color of upper surface of young and mature             foliage: 137A with venation of 144B. Color of lower surface             of young and mature foliage: 138B with venation of 144D to             indistinguishable.         -   Petiole.—Length: Approximately 1.2 cm. Diameter:             Approximately 3.0 mm. Texture: Pubescent. Color: 144B often             with an overlay of 187A. -   Flowering description:     -   -   Flowering habit.—‘Kingscawite’ is freely flowering under             outdoor growing conditions with substantially continuous             blooming from spring through autumn and year-round in             greenhouse environment.         -   Lastingness of individual flower on the plant.—Approximately             7 days. -   Flower description:     -   -   General description.—Type: Zygomorphic, semi-circular, fan             shaped flowers with five petals fused at the base forming a             tubular flower throat. Flower throat adaxially slit to base.             Arrangement: Solitary, sessile. Flowers face upward and             outward. Quantity per plant: Approximately 9. Fragrance:             None.         -   Bud.—Rate of opening: Generally takes 1 to 2 days for bud to             progress from first color to fully open flower. Quantity per             plant: Approximately 8 terminal clusters.         -   Bud just before opening.—Shape: Lanceolate. Length:             Approximately 1.5 cm. Diameter: Approximately 2.0 mm.             Texture: Pubescent. Color: 150C with base of 144B.         -   Corolla.—Length (including tube): Approximately 2.8 cm.             Width: Approximately 3.2 cm.         -   Petals.—Quantity: 5, fused at base to form a tube. Shape:             Oblong to roughly elliptic. Margin: Entire. Apex: Cuspidate.             Length from tube: Approximately 1.7 cm. Width: Approximately             5.0 mm. Texture of upper surface: Glabrous. Texture of lower             surface: Pubescent on central band. Color of upper surface             when first and fully open: NN155D with an overlay of 90D             depending on growing conditions. Color of lower surface when             first and fully open: NN155D with a central longitudinal             band of 150D.         -   Corolla tube.—Length: Approximately 1.4 cm. Diameter at             distal end: Approximately 3.0 mm. Diameter at proximal end:             Approximately 1.0 mm. Texture of inner and outer surfaces:             Densely pubescent. Color of inner surface: 150B with 150A at             throat. Color of outer surface: 145C.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: One larger and somewhat fleshy             sepal and two smaller sepals fused at the base of the             flower. Shape: Larger sepal elliptic; smaller sepals             acicular. Apex of all sepals: Acute. Margin of larger sepal:             Tridentate. Margin of smaller sepals: Entire. Length of             larger sepal: Approximately 3.2 cm. Width of larger sepal:             Approximately 1.5 cm. Length of smaller sepals:             Approximately 7.0 mm. Width of smaller sepals: Approximately             1.0 mm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces of all sepals:             Sparsely pubescent. Color of upper surface of all sepals:             137A. Color of lower surface of all sepals: 138B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity: 5. Stamen             length: Approximately 7.0 mm. Filament length: Approximately             5.0 mm. Filament color: 155D. Anther shape: Oblong. Anther             length: Approximately 2.0 mm. Anther color: 4C. Pollen             amount: Sparse. Pollen color: 155D. Gynoecium: Pistil             quantity: 1 per flower. Pistil length: Approximately 1.7 cm.             Stigma shape: Bilobed, slightly recurved and enclosed in a             hairy cup. Stigma diameter: Approximately 3.0 mm. Stigma             color: 144A. Style length: Approximately 1.1 cm. Style             color: 187A. Hairs of NN155D cupped around stigma with hairs             of N77A tipped in NN155D at base of cup. Ovary length:             Approximately 3.0 mm. Ovary color: 144A. -   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has     been observed. -   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests     common to Scaevola has not been observed. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Scaevola plant named ‘Kingscawite’, substantially as herein shown and described. 